Press Release: Local Purple Heart Recipient Christopher Grudzinski to be Honored During National Tribute Event

Billings Army Veteran Chosen as Montana’s Representative for the 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project

(NEWBURGH, NY) – A local Purple Heart recipient has been chosen to be one of the nation’s 2026 Purple Heart Patriot Project honorees. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant (SSG) Christopher Grudzinski will represent his fellow Purple Heart heroes as Montana’s representative at the multi-day tribute to the courage and sacrifice of America’s combat wounded. The Purple Heart Patriot Project is a program of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission.

Selected from among hundreds of nominees and deserving candidates for their courage and service, both in combat and in their communities, this annual all-expense paid ‘Honor Flight’-style salute will bring together Purple Heart recipients from across conflicts and generations. The multi-day Patriot Project Mission, scheduled for April 27 – May 1, 2026, will feature visits to historic sites, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point; a private tour of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor; time at historic Washington’s Headquarters, where the Badge of Military Merit originated in 1782; and the 9/11 Memorial. Other special tribute events are also being planned.

“Chris and his fellow Patriot Project honorees represent the best of the best our country has to offer,” said Jeremy McVey, Chairman of the National Purple Heart Honor Mission. “These honorees represent a true cross-section of America and the diversity of our combat wounded through the decades. They answered the nation’s call and then kept on serving. This is our opportunity to say, ‘thank you’ on behalf of a grateful nation, especially for our Vietnam veterans, the Patriot Project provides proper homecoming they never received.” 

“These Patriot Project missions recognize the sacrifices made by our Purple Heart recipients and honor those who never made it home. They provide an invaluable opportunity for these heroes to bond with other combat wounded to help with healing, understanding and of course, know that this nation will never forget their sacrifice,” said National Purple Heart Honor Mission Executive Director Colonel Russell O. Vernon (Ret). “We received hundreds of nominations from across the country, and we look forward to honoring Chris for his courage and service, both during combat operations and in the years since returning home.”

This year’s Patriot Project honorees include men and women from all branches of military service, who sacrificed for America and then went on to be leaders in their communities and professions. 

Asked what his service meant to him, SSG Grudzinski said, “My service meant the world to me. I like to tell others; it was the best and worst time of my life, and I would not trade it for anything. I had a chance to belong and serve something bigger than anything I could have imagined. I was blessed and deeply honored to have served with some of the best service members of my generation. I am alive and thriving today because of the skills I have learned and the people I have served with. My service has given me a pride that only those who have served will understand.”  

Grudzinski enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in February 1996 and served for the next thirteen-plus years with two deployments overseas. SSG Grudzinski was first deployed as part of Operation Joint Forge, the NATO-led peacekeeping mission enforcing the Dayton Peace Accords in Bosnia-Herzegovina. His second deployment was part of Operation Iraqi Freedom to Iraq as an Infantry Squad Leader. In May 2005, SSG Grudzinski was leading a combat patrol near Hawija, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device (IED) that was buried alongside the road below a herd of sheep, detonated next to the vehicle Grudzinski was in. His vehicle was severely damaged by the blast, and he and several other squad members were injured. Grudzinski suffered minor shrapnel injuries, blown eardrums, and internal head and abdominal injuries.

Along with his Purple Heart, SSG Grudzinski was awarded numerous medals and commendations during his service, including the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, and several more.

Married to his amazing wife and the proud father of two daughters, Chris continues to serve the veteran community by sharing his knowledge and experience with them, so they understand how to utilize their military benefits and other needs. Chris also sat on several boards and volunteered with a nonprofit that takes wounded Purple Heart veterans on hunting and fishing trips. He has assisted in building service organizations with leadership roles to help fellow veterans access much needed benefits and services. Chris and his wife also started a nonprofit organization that provides free meat from the hunting and agricultural community throughout Montana to veterans and their families. They run this nonprofit by 100% volunteers to ensure every donated dollar goes to the meat for the veterans and their families. In nine years, the couple’s efforts have resulted in over 335,000 pounds of meat being distributed for free to over 22,500 veterans and their families across Montana. It is their way of thanking the veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice.

The Purple Heart Patriot Project provides an all-expense paid trip to Purple Heart recipients from across the country to visit the museum dedicated as a tribute to their service and other historic sites connected with the Purple Heart. Located just north of West Point, New York, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is housed near the site where General George Washington created the Badge of Military Merit in 1782 during the Revolutionary War. The Badge, a purple cloth cut in the shape of a heart, was the forerunner of today’s Purple Heart medal. These powerful visits provide a unique opportunity for our Purple Heart veterans to connect with other recipients and experience the appreciation of a grateful nation committed to ensuring their courage and sacrifice is remembered for generations to come. Project Missions are supported by individual, foundation, and corporate donations.

 In addition to creation of the museum, the National Purple Heart Honor Mission was instrumental in the creation of the Purple Heart Forever stamp, and the organization behind the U.S. Mint’s official Purple Heart Commemorative Coin series, which was issued by the United States Mint in 2022. Today, the organization is developing the National Purple Heart Traveling Tribute and Education Center, which will tour the country bringing the stories of our heroes’ service and sacrifice to communities across the nation.

Those wishing to learn more about the National Purple Heart Honor Mission or donate to support the Purple Heart Patriot Project should visit www.PurpleHeartMission.org.

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ABOUT THE NATIONAL PURPLE HEART HONOR MISSION

The National Purple Heart Honor Mission is an approved 501(c)3 non-profit organization, whose strategic objective is to pay tribute to our nation’s combat wounded and killed in action through special outreach and educational programming. Through Purple Heart Patriot Project Missions, celebration of National Purple Heart Day and other public events and programs, we engage people of all ages by telling the stories of our nation’s heroes. Learn more and support their efforts at www.PurpleHeartMission.org.